It can be tough to know what to do if your library has a potential censorship situation. But you are not alone!! The ALA is here for all libraries, whether or not you are a member. Being part of a profession means you have resources and support – a good thing when problems happen!
From the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom:
The Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) introduced upgraded tools that make censorship easier to report and easier to track. We’ve rolled out a simpler form to document censorship and hate crime and a web page exclusively for challenge support.
Updated form
OIF has documented censorship cases in the literary community since 1990. Last year, the office recorded 275 challenges — requests to remove materials from libraries, schools and bookshops — but surveys indicate that up to 85 percent of book challenges remain unreported. To encourage educators to report censorship, OIF remodeled its form.
The new form simplifies the reporting process by reducing the number of questions by more than 60 percent. Librarians can now upload documents and receive an emailed copy of their report. The report not only allows OIF to gather challenge statistics, but also to reach out to educators and provide emotional support, media training and case procedure advice. All records remain confidential unless the user chooses otherwise.
“Better information means better support,” said OIF Director James LaRue. “The new form lets people report things quickly, in their own words. That helps us understand the nuances of their challenges.”
Free Webinar
On January 12, OIF will host “Your Guide to Censorship Reporting,” a free webinar on exactly what a challenge is and when to report it. The webinar will also outline how the literary community can identify First Amendment violations and why OIF collects this information.
This is a great opportunity to pick the brains of Jamie LaRue, Deborah Caldwell Stone, and Kristin Pekoll and ask your questions.
If you’ve ever wondered, “should I say something about this?” then watch this webinar. If you can’t participate on Thursday, register anyways and we’ll send you a link to the recording.
Challenge Support section gets a makeover
OIF’s Challenge Support webpages migrated from the ALA Banned Books Week page to its own section in ALA’s Professional Tools. OIF Assistant Director Kristin Pekoll said the move greatly benefits librarians.
“Support shouldn’t be hard to find during what feels like a stressful time of crisis,” said Pekoll. “Unlike Banned Books Week, challenge support isn’t limited to a time of year. It needs to be a visible and up-to-date ALA professional tool.”
The Challenge Support page hosts the revised reporting form, as well as resources on reconsideration policies, discussions with concerned parents and challenge procedures.
Anyone can defend the First Amendment
Any community member can help eliminate censorship by submitting a report or contacting the office directly. While most reports address books, OIF assists with canceled speakers, dismantled displays and internet access challenges.